Standing Alone, Dying Again
by Infinity-Nevermore
Summary: Rated T for character death, even though I don't think it's that serious. An angsty oneshot about the deaths of our heroes and the final battle against Naraku through a child’s eyes.


**Standing Alone, Dying Again**

**Disclaimer:** Ah, the changes I'd make if Inuyasha were mine. Let's see . . . Inuyasha would be less of a jerk, especially to Kagome, Miroku and Sango would be married by now, Kohaku would recover his memories and be able to handle them, Naraku would've been dead by now, Kagura would've been able to get away when she had the chance, Jaken would not exist, Kikyo would've stayed dead (no offense to her fans, but she has little purpose anymore, so what happens to other people who have little purpose? They get the ax.) Sesshomaru would be mine, and so on and so forth.

**Summary:** Rated T for character death, even though I don't think it's that serious. An angsty one-shot about the deaths of our heroes and the final battle against Naraku through a child's eyes.

Why am I remembering this now? I told myself to forget Lord Sesshomaru, what happened, that I was alone, the blood, their faces. But I can't, no matter how hard I try.

Kohaku had been first. It was obvious that he had been fighting Naraku's control all along, so when he was told to kill his sister, his only family left in this world, I wasn't too surprised to see him freeze. I knew he wasn't bad at heart like Naraku, it was just that sometimes he couldn't control himself. This time, though, he struggled with all his might. He slowly turned to Naraku and simply said, "No." Naraku, of course, was enraged. As quickly as I had seen the angriest face I probably would ever see, it morphed into his normal cold smile. "I see that I have no more use for you, Kohaku." Then his tentacle plunged into Kohaku's back, removing a small, pink fragment of what was once the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls. I know little about it, only what Lady Kagura said when she approached my lord and what he said when she left. I was tempted to scream, but I remembered what he said, and stayed quiet. Kohaku was thrown to the ground to bleed to death.

The demon slayer had been second. As she battled wave after wave of demons sent at her and her cat, his tentacles had sliced at her skin. She didn't seem to notice, as her eyes and her concentration were on Naraku and Kohaku. I guess she was trying to reach him so she could somehow save him, and Naraku was not going to let that happen. Then out of nowhere, a tentacle impaled the cat and she reared, throwing the woman. I knew how this was going to end. I covered my eyes, but ended up peeking through my fingers. I saw the monk running toward her trying to catch her, but even I could see she was going to hurtle into the ground. And I was right.

He had been the third, as his reason had apparently been crushed under the weight of the slayer's body. He just started running toward her, not caring about anything else. It was somewhat romantic as he cradled her now cold, lifeless body. Demons now rushed to the smell of fresh blood. He took the beads wrapped around his hand, and suddenly everything around began to be sucked in. The sight was absolutely mesmerizing. Unexpectedly, Naraku's nasty bugs started flying toward the source, allowing themselves to be pulled in. This was obviously bad, because I saw the monk's face momentarily contort in fear, then harden with a determination I have only seen on the face of my lord. I wonder where he is, but then turn in the direction of a groan. The monk, poisoned beyond recovery, sucking up demons, bugs and the pieces of Naraku that Lord Inuyasha chops off, fell to the ground, eyes wide open but blind, and his arm twitched as if alive. But he wasn't. If he was, he wouldn't be much longer.

Lord Inuyasha put up a brave fight, getting up time and time again. After poison, acid, blood loss, brute strength, the loss of his friends and an overwhelming number of opponents, I was surprised and impressed that he was still standing, much less fighting. My lord would be proud too, but would never show it. Finally, I see my lord, who seems to have been fighting the whole time.

I can't believe he would pick a fight with Lord Inuyasha now of all times. Does it really matter who gets to have bragging rights? Naraku will have the bragging rights if they don't stop arguing. At least the nice priestess lady with Lord Inuyasha is trying get the two of them to concentrate. Suddenly, Naraku attacks all of them at once with his tentacles. The priestess is hit hard. Even a tree didn't stop her flight, shattering under the force of her momentum. Lord Inuyasha looks as if he's about to go mad. His eyes are flashing red. That's scary. That's also the only time I'll ever see my lord flinch, even though he'll deny it later. He'll say something along the lines of "I'd never fear that pathetic excuse for a half-demon."

Where is Lord Jaken, anyway? Oh. I feel like I want to vomit. He'd made his sacrifice long ago, it seems, since there isn't much of him left. I could barely recognize his head, and his body was now in pieces where demons were feasting in different sections of the field.

The cute little fox demon was next. As Naraku was closing in on the priestess, he used every trick he had to try to distract him long enough for Lord Inuyasha to arrive. Unfortunately for all three, the priestess was too heavy for him to carry, Lord Inuyasha was injured, meaning he had more holes in him than a flute, and Naraku was wise to the young demon's ruses. In one fell swoop he lost his head, literally, and as he was going to finish the priestess, my lord started a fresh round of attacks. No offense to Lord Inuyasha, but I believed that my lord would end this battle. I would've gone to see her, but he told me to stay put and I was on the opposite side of the field anyway. So I could only watch and hope she pulled through.

Lord Inuyasha was moving slower and slower. I could see that he was going to collapse soon, and then my lord would be left to fight alone. He already looked tired. No one would be able to tell from a quick look. His speed was still almost as high as it was when the battle began, and he could even give the occasional insult. If he could still argue with Lord Inuyasha, then none would think he was tiring. I could see, though, in the lines of his face. When one has spent as much time with him as I have, one can see these things. He also talked a lot less and fought a lot more, almost as if he knew that if he didn't concentrate now, it was all over. He had been hit with the acidic tentacles and had been poisoned as much as Lord Inuyasha, but since he could match Naraku's speed, that was the extent of his damages. Lord Inuyasha, on the other hand, had collapsed now.

An ear-piercing scream rocked my eardrums. "INUYASHA!" The priestess had survived. I was glad to see it. She shakily stood. Naraku turned for a second toward her, but was hastily distracted by my lord's sword. It seems that turning his back was a bad idea. Although she was weak, she could still shoot. She leaned against a tree, taking aim. She began to glow pink, and as she released the arrow, I had to shield my eyes from the blinding light surrounding it. It hit him right in the heart. Sadly, it wasn't over. He still had an ace up his sleeve. As the arrow pierced his heart, he smiled a twisted, warped smile. "I'm taking you all to hell with me. Say hello to your companions and Kikyo for me." Then his heart began to swell around the wound. Finally, in a blast I have never seen before or since, he exploded.

It was so sudden that I only had time to cover my face and drop to the ground. I should be dead, but I'm still here. How? At that moment I see my lord lying on the ground in front of me. He saved me, at the cost of his own. That was just like him; calm and gruff on the outside, but willing and ready to give his life for someone he cares about. His body was the only one still mostly intact. The rest were gone. I saved my tears until I had buried him and offered a prayer for the others, remembering the monk. I think he would have wanted that. I hope they rest in peace, knowing they had a hand in bringing down Naraku.

So now what? I can't return to the castle; I don't even know where it is! I'm impossibly lost. I'm not even really interested in ruling the western lands. I don't think my lord was either. I should save those thoughts for another time. Well, it looks like I'm starting a new journey. I don't know where I'm going, but I will always remember where I came from. This day is forever etched in my memory. I'll never forget any of you, especially you, Lord Sesshomaru. I hope that, someday, we will meet again.

Now I see why I remembered. I'm back, at the place I said I'd never return to again. The battleground. There are the markers. The gashes in the earth are still there, though the blood's gone. There's what's left of the tree. I stand alone, the sole survivor. Although I know that one day, I'll die too. Again. And this time, there won't be a magic sword to bring me back to life. But I'm not afraid. Not of death. Not anymore.

With these last thoughts, I'm going to try to leave, because I'm afraid that if I allow myself to think, I will see Lord Sesshomaru dying again, and again, and again, forever. And a piece of me will die forever each time. Goodbye everyone. I'll be joining you one day, when I've run out of pieces.

A/N: This is the product of two weeks of angsty songs and the thought put into my head by a similar story: What if everyone died? How would anybody know how unless someone survived? And this story was born. Read and review, please! Did you like it? Hate it? Let me know!


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